(cid:48)(cid:72)(cid:72)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:38)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:72)(cid:73)(cid:86) W hen a team has been around for more than 50 years its fans the exception to that rule They put their team together like a jigsaw puzzle fitting different players with different talents into an exciting big picture don’t expect many surprises The Kansas City Chiefs are Throughout their history the Chiefs have won in a variety of ways Sometimes they depend on speed to give them an advantage Other times they overpower their opponents Smart decisions also are a trademark of Kansas City football This book tells the story of the Chiefs Each year they look at their strengths and build their team around the skills of a few breathtaking stars The Chiefs are never afraid to try something new Needless to say fans in Kansas City have come to love surprises and to expect the unexpected Derrick Johnson and his Kansas City teammates give head coach Romeo Crennel a victory shower (cid:24)
(cid:42)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:92)(cid:3)(cid:39)(cid:68)(cid:92)(cid:86) L amar Hunt was a man who was used to getting his way He made millions in the energy business and was one of the most recognizable people in Texas One thing eluded Hunt a team in the National Football League NFL His solution was to start a league of his own the American Football League AFL The AFL played its first season in 1960 The name of Hunt’s team was the Dallas Texans The NFL fought back by putting its own team in Dallas The Cowboys also played their first season in 1960 Hunt had a trick up his sleeve He hired Hank Stram to coach the Texans Stram was a young coach who loved to try new ideas He also knew how to find talented players Among the Dallas stars in the early 1960s were quarterback Cotton Davidson linemen Jerry Mays and E J Holub and linebacker Sherrill Headrick (cid:25)
The team’s best player was running back Abner Haynes He was named Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in his first season Haynes led the AFL in rushing touchdowns in each of his first three seasons In 1962 the Texans signed quarterback Len Dawson He led Dallas to its first AFL championship that same season Other stars on that team included Jim Tyrer Fred Arbanas Chris Burford Bobby Hunt and Johnny Robinson A few months after their victory the Texans moved to Kansas City Missouri and became the Chiefs Hunt no longer wanted to compete with the Cowboys and Kansas City fans were hungry for a team The AFL and NFL joined forces in 1970 During the AFL’s 10 years the Chiefs had the league’s best record at 87 wins 48 losses and five ties They won three championships in all The Chiefs played in the first Super Bowl in 1967 and lost to the Green Bay Packers They returned to the big game three years later and beat the Minnesota Vikings LEFT Lamar Hunt ABOVE Len Dawson calls a play in the Kansas City huddle (cid:26)
